kitchen adventures
All winter I look forward to the month when there are more fresh tomatoes than I can possibly eat. Full-flavored, succulent, wonderful tomatoes. It’s also the month when my preserving kicks into high gear, and I’m overwhelmed with tomatoes to can, freeze, or dry. Oven-dried tomatoes are the very easiest
After what seemed like an eternity of 95+ degree weather, when the high temperature dropped into the 70s, it felt quite cool! That was when I felt like using my oven again. These were everything that mushrooms should be – fragrant, delicious, sizzling – and then, alas, they were gone.
You know how it is: you need something for a quick supper, and have no idea what to do with the random collection of things in the fridge. I had leftover cooked spaghetti noodles, bits of chicken, and three small bok choy. I have found that the trick of using
This is one of the best ways to use cucumber in my opinion. Slice cucumbers thinly, then put into a sauce with yogurt, garlic, and dill. Some people prefer to use chopped mint – it depends on what you have on hand. Good with gyros, lamb meatballs, salads, as a
I’m responding to a request for chewy molasses cookies. These are not thin ginger-snaps, but have the texture of soft sugar cookies, with a crackly top crust. A hit at my house, they never last more than a few days – though they will supposedly keep well. Makes about 2
2 1/4 c sifted flour 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 3/4 c sugar 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 c vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 c plain yogurt or buttermilk 2 c grated unpeeled
I first found the recipe for this in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I’ve tweaked the spices, because I like them a bit more assertive. 1 egg, beaten 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened 1/2 c brown sugar (packed) 1/3 c honey 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract 1
This is the original post, published July 2011. A more recent post has been indexed. This one’s the easiest cucumber salad I know, partly because if you have the right seasoned vinegar, that’s all you need: sliced cukes and vinegar. Sure, you can make it look fancy with a sprinkling
More berries! More, more, more … and then what do you do with them? I wanted to make something a little different this time, a smooth strawberry spread, almost the texture of apple butter. Something bright and perky, and absolutely wonderful. Something in a very small batch. Yield: 3 half-pint
Wow, that flat of berries didn’t last long! We used the first half flat (4 quarts) the first day, what with our traditional Strawberry Night and one batch of strawberry jam. The rest waited in the refrigerator to be gobbled. We had berries in one form or other every day …
Tatsoi, pak choi and other Asian greens, which are a bit tough and chewy, a bit assertive in flavor – what can you do with them? As it turns out, lots of quick and delicious things. They’re wonderful in a stir-fry, where they hold up to cooking. They’re also perfect for a
This is the simplest way to cook asparagus that I know, and one of the best. If all your spears are the same thickness, they will cook more evenly, but I never worry about a bit of variation. 1 bunch fresh asparagus olive oil salt Preheat the oven – you
I’m Maurita Plouff, and I write about cooking and preserving the local harvest in Southeast Michigan. Any recipe you find here is something I have cooked myself, and enjoyed, and think you might like too. I invite you to try the recipes, and leave comments.